Calling in sick

[perfectbluebuildings, BSN, RN]

Hey everyone,

I am just wondering what you would call in sick for and what your facility's policy is. Here we have to call in at least 2 hours before shift starts (makes sense to me!) and also they ask why you are calling in. I called in today but felt guilty cause I felt I didn't have a good enough excuse. I have had a sore throat and coughing up some junk for a couple days, but I didn't realize what the charge nurse meant when she said "what should I put you down for?" and she was like "well you know... GI, respiratory..." and so I just said, "oh... respiratory..." so now it seems as though I was just grabbing at any excuse. Should I have gone in anyway? This is the first time I've called in sick. And now I am feeling a little bit better so I feel kind of guilty. Like someone else got inconvenienced for me. What do you think? Is this a "wussy" reason to call in? :)

[Genevieve RN]

We have to call at least two hours before the shift, although I always give them more time.

I just call staffing, give my name, title and unit and say I am calling in sick for day shift. End of story.

It's no one's business what is wrong with me.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

i'm afraid i would have had to say "put me down for sick time." and get off the phone real fast. it's nobody's business what you're sick with! (unless it's chicken pox and you had five patients yesterday -- then i guess it's a public health issue.) over the years, i've found that it's better to call in sick if you don't feed well enough for any reason (your dog died, you just caught your husband cheating, your hemorrhoids are acting up) to be therapuetic with your patients and their visitors. if you go in, for sure there will be some sort of problem and the stress of trying not to choke the life out of some a$$hole who desparately deserves it cannot be good for your health!

ruby (and i'll not bore you with the story i have to illustrate that situation!)

[ZASHAGALKA, RN]

As long as you are not abusing sick time, it isn't anybody's business and no cause to feel guilty to use a benefit extended to you.

The reason why they ask what is wrong is to make you feel guilty if there isn't a real reason. But they can't technically ask and if you refuse to tell, they can't fault you for that. Health issues are privacy issues and you are entitled to that privacy.

I rarely use more than 2 sick days a year. But I have been known to call in just because I didn't feel like going. As long as I'm not abusing a benefit, nobody's opinion as to the validity of calling in matters but mine.

~faith,

Timothy.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

In our place, two hours is the minimum amount of time to call in for.

I am rarely ill and have called in once in 10 years. (Now I've jinxed myself).

[perfectbluebuildings, BSN, RN]

Thanks for the replies... you're right.

I do feel bad not calling in much more than 2 hours early though... I meant to, and then slept all day w/o meaning to and woke up realizing I probably should not go in. Next time, I'll call in BEFORE I go to sleep (I thought I'd feel better when I woke up!) :)

[live4today, RN]

I'll call in when I'm sick. Sick entails emotional, physical, and mental. It's none of their business what the "sickness" entails. Call in as soon as you know you are not going to make it to work so they can find a replacement for you if need be. Be courteous about that just as you would appreciate the same done if you were one of the nurses at work wondering who is coming as a replacement for the one calling in sick. That is the most important issue here..........not what your sick with, but that you are not coming to work. No need to feel guilty unless you just did not call in intentionally until the last minute. :)

[sweetielin]

on night shift, if we fail to call in at least 4 hours before our shift we get written up. those on the day shift typically call in less than 2 hours before their shift and are never written up for it. i rarely call in sick. when i do, it means i am truly sick.

[Serenyd]

Whenever I work sick I end up regretting it !!

[ZASHAGALKA, RN]

I SO WANT TO CALL IN TONIGHT. But I'm not sick. Blah. Oh wait, I feel sick just thinking about going into work . . .

~faith,

Timothy.

[night owl]

Our supervisors aren't allowed to ask, "What's wrong with you?" when you call in sick. If you're sick, you're sick. It's no one's beeswax what's wrong with you. Only calling in with an emergency is on a need to know basis. Get this though...If I'm due in at 12MN and I call in at 2330 saying my car won't start and there's no way I can get it fixed at this time and I have no other way to get in, I'm only granted 2 hours of emergency leave and 6 hours of sick leave. Does that sound right to you? Im not sick, my car is!!!

[pricklypear]

What is the deal with everybody wanting to know exactly HOW you're sick??

Here's what they're going to get next time I'm asked for specifics:

"I've got light green, watery diarrhea with small chunks of what looks like corn, can't be sure. Smells like C-Diff. I'm getting these waves of pain, sort of like labor pains, every 15 minutes or so. I'm also vomiting, last time it looked like green antifreeze with mucus floating in it. I tried to eat an egg last night, but it didn't stay down, it wasn't pretty, let me tell you. I have a temp of 101 right now, but this morning it was 103. My skin's real dry, too. Oh, and this headache! It feels like someone has stabbed me through the temple with some sort of hot sword. And a head cold. I feel really stuffy, and my nose is running. It's just clear stuff right now, but I'm also coughing up some brown sputum - wanna see it? No? Well, I thought you might want to put it in my file since you're so interested in documenting my illness."

Like I'd ever be brave enough to do that! I just say "I'm not feeling well, I won't be able to work tonight, sorry."